Is Your Vibrator Killing Your Sex Drive?
The negative side effects of vibrators is a topic that pops up in the news cycle every few months. I’ve written several articles about the topic, and pretty consistently get contacted by reporters for quotes about the dangers of vibrators.
A lot of the attention is thinly-disguised sex-negativity, trying to make women feel “bad” or “guilty” for using vibrators. To be perfectly clear – I am pro-vibrator. I think it’s important for women to take ownership over their own bodies and sexualities.
But one thing I’ve learned in my career as a sex therapist is that not all sex toys are created equal. A recent study by the University of Rochester School of Medicine may have just provided me with yet another piece of supporting evidence.
The research team at the School of Medicine discovered a potential connection between phthalates and women’s sex drives; namely, that the presence of phthalates in a woman’s system decreased her desire for sex.
What the heck are phthalates? They’re chemical compounds frequently used as plastic softening agents, but also show up in beauty and household products, and processed foods.
Phthalates are present in an overwhelming number of sex toys, since they do a good job at making plastic feel better against the skin. This is particularly disturbing since sex toys are used in such intimate, vulnerable parts of our bodies.
Phthalates have been connected to breast cancer, endocrine and hormone disruption, asthma, ADHD, diabetes, and now, sex drives.
The team at URSM surveyed 360 women about their sex lives, and tested them for phthalates. Women who had high levels of phthalates in their systems were 2.6 times more likely to describe themselves as uninterested in sexual activity than women who had low levels of phthalates.
A few caveats here: 360 women is not a particularly huge number. The women were also all pregnant, and pregnancy on its’ own can make some pretty significant changes to sex drives. Also, sexual desire is a highly complex issue with lots of factors that play into it.
Still, the possibility of a connection between phthalates and decreased sex drives is yet another reason to be vigilant about only purchasing toys that are specifically labeled phthalate free and body safe. That’s why I support the wonderful people over at Filthy Dirty. Part of their mission is to educate the public about the importance of safe, high-quality sex toys, and all of their products are body safe.
Head on over here to see my favorite suggestions for toys that are far more likely to increase your sex drive than decrease it!